Wednesday, February 15, 2017

McQ's #77 ALBUM OF 2015 - RANGE ANXIETY - THE TWERPS (2015)

Returning in 2015 with their sophomore release, now as part of the Merge roster of artists, Austrailia's Twerps deliver another batch of easy-going, low-key, jangle-pop charmers.

And despite Range Anxiety's low standing in our year-end rankings, I do want to be clear that I really enjoy this album. It's just a bit of a victim of its own unassuming slightness.

Like that old Chinese dinner stereotype, pretty much everything on Range Anxiety sounds good going down, there's just not a lot on it that sticks.

But that said, I know there is a subset of indie-pop listeners for whom this album will be pure manna from heaven, so if the Flying Nuns or Luna/Galaxie 500 or The Vaselines or any number of the more relaxed C86/jangle-pop bands over the years are among your personal favs, you'll definitely want to give Range Anxiety a spin.

As for individual track standouts, after a decent, short instrumental, the album kicks off proper with two of its three best songs with the fantastic I Don't Mind, featured in our 2015 mix collection, and the bouncy Back To You. Other highlights include the Real Estate-ish New Moves, the band's lone foray into more post-punkish territory Fern Murders, and the lingering, plaintive closer Empty Road.